Wednesday, 26 June 2013

On Friday morning at 4am UK time we left Spain and then I flew straight to Ayrshire and then drove up to Glasgow to fly to London for BritMums Live! I was exhausted to say the least but I had an amazing time. Since I was travelling all day and schlepping from Gatwick into town I arrived in what I flew in (jeans and a tee). The lovely people at TK Maxx offered to dress all of us Best Style blog finalists so I changed before the BiBs in the evening; super sweet Chelsea from Ms. Mummy of Two let fellow finalist Liz from Baby Wears Prada and I get all dolled up in her room before the awards started.

I'm a huge fan of the current summer trend for metallics so I grabbed this metallic dress the second I saw it at TK Maxx. I know you're thinking---umm WTF is with the cat ears? Well when Liz won the Best Fashion award at The Mads last year she had some super cute kitty cat ears so we decided to rock them again for the BiBs. If you can't wear cat ears to an awards ceremony when can you? You can't tell but the top half of the dress was see-through at the back something I didn't think I'd be comfortable with but am glad I faced my fear!The next day I was speaking during one of the sessions and again was lucky enough to have an outfit sent to me by the fab team at Secret Sales. I knew I wanted to be comfortable since I was speaking and since I'd be on my feet all day and I absolutely LOVE the look that they helped me come up with for the day.

OMG I love this top SO much. I didn't realize it had tiny silver skulls on it until it arrived and I literally squealed outloud when I opened the package! Secret Sales originally sent me a maxi skirt to wear with it but I felt it made the look a bit to blah so I changed it up with skinny jeans and leopard heels. While we were in Spain I got a leopard tank to wear underneath and peek through the rips and this awesome bracelet. I love that neon is on trend again and I feel like these beads, braided is a funky twist and a pop of colour. I felt super comfortable and confidant all day and love how it all came together.

I'm so grateful for Sodastream sponsoring me to attend and TK Maxx and Secret Sales helping be look stylish while there! I never would have worn a sheer backed dress or a ripped top before but I'm so glad I did. Are there any styles you've been reluctant to try but then loved?

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

I've made no secret that I've been hatingmy hair lately. For ages all I wanted was really long hair and then once I got it I felt like I couldn't do anything with it. I was super impressed I didn't pull my hair back once at work yet the whole time I really wished I'd thrown a hair tie in my purse. Every time I walked past the bathroom mirror it just didn't look right and I wasn't loving it at all.

So I found it quite serendipitous when I got the chance to try out the services at Rainbow Room International at Royal Exchange Square in Glasgow. Rainbow Room was founded in 1979 and is an award winning salon synonymous with quality, luxury and innovation. There are 9 salons, 2 beauty and spa salons as well as the prestigious academy. I'd heard great things about Rainbow Room but had never been myself.

When I met with David, the salon manager, I let him know I felt like my hair was too long and just hung there and that my unintentional ombre (more commonly known as massive grown out roots) was making me feel a bit blah and I was open to suggestions. We talked about my face shape (heart) and how angles would help flatter it and how to brighten my hair up with a mix of highlights and cooler low lights as my natural colour is quite warm.

I also learned that a lot of shampoos have silicone in them that cause build up that not only coats your hair but can block up your hair follicle and weaken your hair; it can even make two weak strands grow instead of one strong strand which is why you can have shorter standing up bits of frizzy hair! David scraped my hair to show me the silicone build up and I couldn't believe it. There are certain shampoos I won't be touching now!

I got started with an amazing Shiatsu head massage (lovely after all that flight drama) and then had my hair cut first before colour. David cut my hair first because then he could apply my highlights to flatter and accentuate the new cut. Then five different colours were applied to my head with foils and afterwards David painted on colour outside of the foil where it would process differently.

David talked me through the best way to blow dry my hair (don't part it and don't tip your head upside down ::coughMOMcough::) and what sort of products to use as well. Rainbow Room have their own product line formulated especially for Scottish water including a light weight leave in conditioner that can be used to style as well. When I first sat down I'd told David I wanted to know what he thought about my hair and what he thought I should do since he has been with the salon over 20 years with experience in London and Amsterdam before that and he did not let me down!

Pink and Grey Top- Gap

Sweetheard Jeans, Old Navy

Blue Flip Flops, Old Navy

I LOVE my hair! At first I thought maybe the colour was a bit dark but I think my eyes were playing tricks on me. My hair looks so much healthier and has so much body and fullness. There is an actual shape to my hair now instead of just two flat curtains. I'm so happy I was able to go to the Rainbow Room and experience their friendly and talented staff first hand. I would whole heartedly recommend them to anyone and can't wait to see their new styling videos they are producing shortly. David had offered to show my different ways to curl and style it but as I had to pick up Blondie Boy from school I didn't have time.

Rainbow Room Internationalhaircuts and colour vary in price by the level of stylist but you can also get stand-by appointments or appointments with students in their training academy.

Let's be friends! Find me here:

Transatlantic Blonde was provided a cut and colour free of charge for the purpose of this review but all opinions are my own. I am ridonkulously picky about my hair and if I didn't like it you would know--I only speak the truth!

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

So originally my What I Wore Wednesday post today was just going to be another work bathroom selfie; to be fair there was an epic story of how it was the fourth dress I tried on before work this morning (the three I laid out just didn't work), how it was far too cold for bare legs and then how I got rained on but you don't have to deal with that boring bullshit excuse for a post because this inadvertently turned into an impromptu date night What I Wore Wednesday!I went into work today after all the above and it was a fairly average day; I was getting things prepared before we went away tomorrow on holiday (to be fair I didn't really have to handover anything since I just started) and then at 2:45 and then I get this text message from NotBlondeHusband:

Edited for those who don't swear like a sailor

Apparently the French Air Traffic Controllers are striking today, tomorrow and Thursday and all flights in/out of France as well as any flights flying OVER French air space are cancelled. {Insert favourite expletive here} Then there was a flurry of texts back and forth about what we could do and the fact that I'm off to Brit Mums Live so I have to be back by the 21st and more texts back and forth while NBH called the caretaker for the villa we were staying in and my MIL's husband phoned about the rental cars and I tried not to cry at my desk.While I was trying not to become the girl who cries at her desk on her 6th day at work NBH managed to get us flights on Friday to Alicante (about 45 minutes from where we were staying) and the caretaker thought she might have been mistaken about the villa being fully booked and was going to get back to us. Long story short we are now leaving on Friday and getting back on the following Friday--so our holiday is slightly delayed and I'll now be arriving into Glasgow only to go home, change suitcases and fly back out but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

So since we'd had all this stress and craziness and we didn't need to pack tonight and Blondie Boy wouldn't be home until after 8pm from a trip to his GG's we decided to have an impromptu date night! The Butchershop Bar and Grill (if you are in Glasgow GO!) has a deal on Tuesday's where you get two steaks, two fries and a bottle of wine for just £30 so we took advantage of the good timing and no small person and enjoyed a spontaneous dinner out which doesn't really happen much with a three year old!While I say it is an impromptu date night what I wore, it is still what I wore to the office--I didn't change my clothes so minus the flight drama inbetween it's the same post it would have been---I kinda lied about it not being boring bullshit--whoops!

I got the studded ballet pumps because I needed new work flats and New Look shoes are insanely comfortable and affordable; win win! I also went a little more loud with the statement manicure this week and the one pink glitter nail. I'm definitely totally in love with ring finger manicures but I'm not sure if I'm sold on the pink on pink action or not. What do you think? I'm hopefully going to try and squeeze in a gel manicure before we leave--what colours should I get?

Sunday, 9 June 2013

So I made it through my first week at work! It wasn't as hard waking up and getting my shit together to go to work as I thought it would be. It probably helped that the weather has been absolutely gorgeous this week and I've been waiting for the bus and walking to work in the sunshine, too! I might be less happy to leave the house if it was rainy and cold!I've been taking everyone's advice of making sure all my clothes are laid out the night before and anything I need is already in my bag. I've been trying not to wake up NBH and BB so I've been using the guest room like my vanity and doing my hair and make-up in there before I leave. My only problem is getting my hair to look cute. More and more I'm convinced I need to do something different with my hair; I wanted it crazy long forever but now that it is it is more crazy than long if you know what I mean. If anyone has any style tips for fine hair that are quick and easy send them my way!

Work itself has been good. It is really great to be working with an organization where so many people are excited and enthusiastic about social media. I spent most of this week trying to get my head around things and attending a lot of meetings but towards the end I started to plan future activity with another colleague. Next week I'll be sitting down to talk about work load and work plans and I'll have a better idea of what my day to day might look like.There are lots of different lunch options around my office and I ended up with a huge new stash of nail polishes after wandering into Superdrug on my lunch break. Normally if I'm in a drug store I run in and out and NBH hates how I can window shop for ages so it was nice to leisurely check out different polishes. Wow that sounds really lame but it was nice!I was worried about missing Blondie Boy's school show but then I decided to ask if it was okay to take a late lunch so I could see him. Luckily my new office is super office friendly and it was not a problem at all!

The show was "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and Blondie Boy was three plums! Cutest three plums you've ever seen right? The children all sang a few songs and then "acted" out the story of the hungry caterpillar before singing a song about a butterfly. Blondie Boy however spent 80% of the time like this:

He never chews his hands and sings all day every day so why he sat with his hands in his mouth who knows! The head teacher came up to say how he sang all the time and we were like oh yes we know! He knows all the words to every song on the Cars soundtrack and we have to listen it any time we're in the car! He did act out some parts and it was super cute though and I'm glad I didn't have to miss it! I know not being able to attend school events can happen to a lot of working moms so I was glad that was not something I had to deal with just yet!So far my working life has been okay and everyone seems really nice! I've got two days in the office next week before we are off to Spain on vacation and then when I get back I'm off to Brit Mums Live and The BiBs! Two days after that it's my birthday--June is going to be a bit hectic to say the least without even adding in the new job!

Wednesday, 5 June 2013

I made it through my first day at my new job! I woke up about five times between 5am and before my alarm went off but I woke up on time and got ready and left the house at 8am to catch the bus. It was a beautiful morning and after the bus driver told me off for apparently waiting at the bus stop incorrectly (?) I had a pleasant enough bus ride especially as the bus now has free wifi--SCORE! It's a short 8 block walk (past 2 Starbucks--SCORE!) to my office from the bus stop and it's all down hill. If you've never been to Glasgow that down hill bit is important because the hills can be insanely steep in the city centre!I wanted to wear something I'd be comfortable in but was also fairly nice because I really didn't know the dress code yet. I knew I had to wear flat shoes because I'd be walking from the bus and while I can attend events in heels I'm a long way from wearing heels all day yet! Add in the fact we had a high of 70 today (that's pretty here) and I came up with this:

Cropped Blazer, HM

Coral Cynthia Rowley Dress, TK Maxx

Studded Flats, Next

Studded Bag, New Look

Tie Dye iPhone Case, House of Holland

It's my first work bathroom selfie! What a milestone :) I went bare legged and even though my legs are so white they are translucent I'm glad I did since it was so hot today. I spent most of today just trying to get to grips with things and I think the rest of the week will be a mix of meetings and learning all the different services we offer and stake holders we have as well as reading through all of the strategy and policy--PHEW!

After work I walked a mile (this time it was up some of the crazy hills and uphill in general) to my father-in-law's house to pick up Blondie Boy. It was such a gorgeous day we came straight home and played in the backyard until I realized it was almost 7pm and he hadn't eaten dinner yet! It's 10:30 now and the sun is just setting so even though I was in the office all day I think I've gotten to enjoy the sun, too!

Unfortunately not enough sun to bring my legs up a shade from translucent to cream cheese. We are off on vacation next week to Spain so I'll need to try and get a base tan soon or I will crisp up like a lobster over there! Do other people believe in getting a base tan before going on vacation or did I totally make that up? Has anyone been to Murcia? Do you have any suggestions?

Saturday, 1 June 2013

For the past two and a half years my office has been my couch; working from home wasn't always easy--juggling over 35 hours a week with a toddler was certainly interesting at times but we made it work. It's the whole reason I started What I Wore Wednesday because I needed a reason to get out of sweats while I worked away in my living room. My small business has grown from strength to strength and I've now gotten a new contract that will have me in an office 9-5 each day. It's only been a little over two weeks since I interviewed so it has all gone really fast!

I'm really looking forward to the new challenge this contract holds and we are very lucky that we don't need to increase Blondie Boy's days at school. NotBlonde Husband will take Mondays & Tuesdays off and work days Wednesday-Thursdays with family helping watch Blondie Boy the hour before and hour after school when NBH is working.

The last time I was in an office 9-5 I was 38 weeks pregnant with Blondie Boy so my work wardrobe is dated to say the least! I packed away so much stuff when I was pregnant and we moved and I guess now is the time to dig it all out. I was at my very skinniest before I got pregnant so I'm going to guess a lot of it won't fit and the rest is maternity clothes so I think a shopping trip might be in my new future!

I've been a WAHM and travelled for work as a Mom but I've never been a 9-5, in an office Mom. If I'm honest I'm not that worried about the Mom aspect of it--Blondie Boy is loves going to school and is old enough that I don't think I'm "missing out" on anything. Although I will be missing his school show this Thursday--NBH is on strict orders to take lots of photos and videos! If you're a working Mom do you have any tips or advice? Do you find it any different to working as a woman without children?